American Company Close To St. James Park Naming Rights – Nike?

It seems that Newcastle are closing in on a deal for the naming rights of St. James’ Park.

And would you believe it – it’s an American company which is said to be the one anxious to get the naming rights to the famous Newcastle stadium.

The news is that the naming rights could be as much as £10M a season, and Newcastle will want a long term deal if they can get it, and if they can get a 10 year deal, that would be good financial business for the club.

But of course, on the other side of the coin, the news that they will rename the famous stadium, which has been associated with Newcastle United Football Club for over 120 years has met with great disapproval by the Newcastle fans.

66% of our readers are against it in our poll, with over 3,000 votes cast.

The Sunday Express is reporting that Mike Ashley is in talks with some interested parties, which are mostly located in the USA, where selling the naming rights to stadiums has been in operation for many years, as a way to generate additional revenue.

One of the companies is said to be Nike, and if that’s true they could be discussing the short sponsorship deal as an all in one package along with the stadium rights.

Mike is said to understand that Newcastle fans are furious with his decision to rename St. James’ Park, and is reported not to care if fans continue to call the stadium St James’ Park.

And of course Mike shouldn’t care too much about that, because the one who gets hurt is the sponsor.

They are paying big bucks to get publicity every time the stadium is seen on TV around the world, or addressed in the press, so if Newcastle fans and the Newcastle council still call it St. James’ Park – so be it.

The Express is reporting that Mike Ashley doesn’t want to further undermine manager Alan Pardew by having to sell his best players, and that selling the naming rights is a step in the right direction to generate the increased revenue Newcastle need, to compete with the best clubs in Europe.

We have a feeling there will be some news imminently on the naming rights sale, as brands seem very interested in taking over the name of St. James’ Park.

If indeed this thing it to go ahead, then we want Ashley to get the very best deal possible for Newcastle, so Alan Pardew is given the money he needs to keep building Newcastle into a good – and an even great side.

The best deal for MA would be to keep it as “Sports Direct Arena” pay NUFC a token amount as he already owns the club so doesn’t actually have to pay anything more!!

Alternatively, Sports Direct could really pay NUFC the market rate of £10 million a year and they then claim tax relief on the cost.
Ashley said when he bought the club that he was prepared to invest £20 million a year in it, from his own money – this way, his Company, Sports Direct, could pick up half the cost and get tax relief in the process!!!

Thirdly, he really could allow another Company to plaster their name over the stadium HE owns. Its feasible, but somehow I just cant see it happening.

Puma and Newcastle United Football Club have announced a new partnership that sees them become the official supplier and the official licensee of replica merchandise for Newcastle United. The new deal will see Puma supply team kit, replica kit and training equipment for two years starting from the beginning of the 2010/2011 season. Earlier, we brought you news that Adidas will no longer be supplying Newcastle’s kits after a 14 year partnership.

So that means a new kit supplier could be on the cards from the end of this season

Makes a lot of sense for him to be sponsoring NUFC through Sports Direct (if he does want to subsidize Newcastle). Saves him from having to pay 42.5 tax on the money and as he only owns 71% of the business he’s paying us with other people’s money.

Basically he can give us £10m through the company compared to £4m on his own.

Funny that every contraversial decision made by the owner has been immediately condemned by most of us. (myself included), but in the longer term every decision so far has proved to be a good one!!

Will the stadium naming be another good decision in the long run as we will all still call the stadium SJP and so will the majority of the press.

I only hope the sponsor will be an appropriate name; Nike would be a great option, but Im still amazed that Ashley doesnt want Sports Direct on the name; it’s gotta be worth a fortune to his business and if Nike think it worthwhile why wouldnt he?????

isnt puma owned by ashley? either way theres no way they could cross coordinate nike as a shirt sponsor with a puma sign on it… certainly possible that they could do the stadium but not the shirt surely?

I really doubt we’ll see Nike as the stadium sponsor. The club has a long history with Adidas, and many weren’t happy with the shift to Puma in the first place. Nike won’t want to get in the middle of that, and they won’t want to get in the middle of the SJP naming rights feud.

And if you think the amount-ANY amount will be put back into the club, well you’re out of your little brains! that amount by the way, was the amount the so called UNOFFICIAL media ‘advisor’ plucked out of the air! there’ll be SFA generated for the club as it’ll ALL go straight back into FCB’s greedy wallet.

The Puma deal ends very soon that’s why Del boy’s looking for another sponsor. If there’s anyway, anyway at all that our strip could have SDA or SD on the front, it’ll be there……

Dicspudnut…you have an incredibly small brain if you think we are forever to be grateful for your master for purchasing NUFC for £130m…it’s been 1 public relations disaster to another since he took over and now he is busy destroying the very fabric of the club while you applaud him. He has reaped some hefty sums back in recent times.
He paid the purchase money and has conned the fans into repaying it back for him…I have to pay for my own house!

@20. Northern Rock ended the partnership early and will not be on the front of our strip come January thats why Puma need a new sponsor so they can make all of the strips through to the end of the season. after that we will need a new kit sponsor unless they renew.

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United.

Their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

Health Update - 4 Aug, 2016

The good news last week was that after more blood tests my PSA count is still undetectable

This means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of it in the body.

Now to be even more vigilant so I can see the Rafa Benitez project come to its fruition over the next few years - wouldn't want to miss that.

Howay The Lads!!>

Ed Harrison

What Is A Football Club?

What is a club in any case?

Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.

It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.

It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.